Ferrari’s new floor: increased downforce, but not the solution to its problems | F1 Sakhir GP. Ferrari introduces a new floor in Bahrain, enhancing downforce but not solving the SF-25's ongoing issues.

There are many noticeable changes in the images of the new floor brought by Ferrari in Bahrain. The visible updates concern the flow deviators and the outer edge, along with hidden modifications underneath the car. “It continues the development carried out during the winter,” explains vice Team Principal Jerome d’Ambrosio, with Ferrari trying to materialize the greater growth potential of the SF-25 compared to its predecessor. The team used the first free practice session to perform comparative tests, awaiting feedback from Charles Leclerc.

Analysis of the updates
The Bahrain floor represents an evolution of the early-season specification, which in turn continued the experiments carried out at the end of last year with the Las Vegas specification. The most interesting changes involve the raised section along the outer edge of the floor, an area acting as a lateral diffuser. The section is slightly lower but extends toward the rear, allowing the addition of an extra vortex generator. Ferrari aims to optimize the extraction of flows laterally from the floor to generate downforce directly at the car’s center, in synergy with the slight reshaping of the Venturi channels.

It is therefore no surprise that Scuderia Ferrari also adjusted the flow conduits under the floor. There are no revolutionary changes, as the distances and geometries are kept similar, with just some tweaks to their positioning and curvature. The team paid particular attention to repositioning the vortices running along the upper part of the floor, adjusting both the second flow deviator from the inside and the outermost element, which now shows a different serrated pattern. Under the SF-25, however, there are other modifications, particularly in the diffuser, which has been revised in the expansion volumes of the ramp and in the keel fairing at the rear of the chassis. This area had already been a focus for Ferrari last year, especially with developments introduced at Monza.

Goals of the package
Vice Team Principal Jerome d’Ambrosio confirms what could already be deduced from the outside. The Bahrain updates, having been developed before any track feedback was available, are simply a continuation of previous work, without addressing the issues that emerged in the first races. “Rather than changing the characteristics, it’s simply about adding some performance and aerodynamic downforce, continuing what we developed during the winter,” says the Belgian, as reported by Automoto. “We simply hope to have added a bit of downforce while maintaining good drivability and slightly improving performance. That said, we don’t expect it to revolutionize the performance picture.”

Ferrari aims to exploit the growth margins of the new development path pursued this year. The 2025 project has changed much of the car, demolishing part of the previous aerodynamic structure to build a new one. The front suspension and the new chassis, for example, direct airflow differently from the front wing toward the floor and sidepods. These changes have also allowed the redistribution of packaging, redesigning the bodywork and rear end with more freedom for the aerodynamic department. “The main goal of the SF-25 project was to free up space to push development, both aerodynamically and overall,” explains technical director Loic Serra at the presentation. “The SF-24 was quite competitive at the end of the season, but updating it and finding performance was becoming increasingly difficult, so we had to find space to accelerate the development pace.” Ferrari’s hope is now to capitalize on the development freedoms sought with the new car.

Work in progress
Although not developed specifically for the SF-25’s problems, the Bahrain package can still be an important aid. Increased aerodynamic downforce would provide an additional tool to balance the car. During the first free practice session, Lewis Hamilton ran with the updated floor, while Dino Beganovic carried out a comparative test, starting with the Australian specification before switching to the latest version. The team is now waiting for feedback from Charles Leclerc, in a more representative evening session for the conditions that teams and drivers will encounter in the race.